A visit from St. Nick...

Santa Claus will make his first official appearance in Mountain Home Friday night during the Parade of Lights.

A special tent will be set up in Railroad Park, where the parade concludes, where Santa will listen to the Christmas wish lists of area children.

"I really appreciate the tent," Santa told the Mountain Home News in an exclusive interview. "In years past, we did it outside and my elf helpers froze their little (toes) off. This year, Pioneer Credit is helping get me my elves for Friday night, and they're looking forward to being warm when we meet the children.

"I'm pretty excited about being in Railroad Park this year and seeing all the nice work that's been done there. The mayor and the Chamber invited me personally to be there, so I'm looking forward to it.

"But mainly, I want to meet with the kids."

Santa noted that he can't be everywhere at the same time, so he often has some of his larger elves dress up as Santa to help him hear all the little boys and girls who want to talk to him. "Their job is to report back to me, and they're very good at it," said the jolly old elf, himself. "Everything they tell me goes on my list."

Some of his elves in the local fire department also help. "They have a special mailbox set up in front of the Mountain Home News that gets letters to Santa sent directly to the North Pole. I can answer them pretty quick that way, and then the firemen deliver the answers to the children. Phil (Gridley) and his elves do a great job.

"They're part of a large network of people that help me make sure every child gets my special attention. I've got people all over who report to me if a child has been naughty or nice."

He gets a lot of help from a lot of people. The Shop With A Cop program and the Chamber of Commerce, for example, bought him a new suit this year.

"Mrs. Claus was getting pretty tired of patching up the old one," he said, and Mrs. Claus also got herself a new outfit for the holidays.

Santa noted that he can't always bring a child everything on his or her wish list.

"Please, don't ask for any more horses. Santa's got a bad back and the sleigh can only carry so much," Santa laughed, his belly shaking like a bowl of jelly. "My elves do the best they can, but they don't have time to make every toy every little girl or boy wants. But they make sure everyone gets something."

And with the economy the way it is, he said, "there's been a lot of cutbacks and layoffs. We may be able to only afford to use four reindeer this year, although I'm hoping we'll be able to keep all eight.

"But Rudolf will be there, for sure. He's polishing up his nose as we speak, just in case we need him to guide my sleigh Christmas night.

"He's better than a GPS system. We never get lost and he never has to recalibrate."

Santa doesn't worry about his flight. His sleigh service doesn't charge baggage fees and the United States Air Force helps provide him with a fighter escort as he travels all around the world Christmas night. "Those guys from the 366th Fighter Wing keep me safe," he explained.

Some children worry that he won't be able to find their house, because they recently moved or will be visiting relatives, but Santa said his elves do a great job helping him keep track of where every child is. "No matter where you are, I'll find you," he said.

And for those children who worry because their house doesn't have a chimney for him to come down, Santa explained that he has a "magic key" that lets him into any house in the world if they don't have a chimney.

He also has a request for those who put out cookies and milk for him.

"I know Mrs. Claus wants me to eat healthy, but please, no sugar-free cookies or 2 percent milk. And definitely no yogurt. It's a busy night, and I need my energy. Just don't tell Mrs. Claus."

Santa has some favorite memories over the year's he's been doing the job.

"I love the Shop With A Cop. Those kids get so excited.

"And one year I got a chance to go the Legion hall and meet a bunch of children from the airbase who had a mommy or daddy deployed overseas. That was a very special time."

With that, Santa had to leave the interview, to meet with his friend, Willy Heckathorne, at United Metals, to help plan his Friday trip to town.

And so, "laying his finger aside of his nose,

"And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

"He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

"And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

"But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."